The Figurine: Escape to Athens and breathe in the Aegean-scented air in the engrossing novel from the much-loved author

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My followers will probably know by love for Victoria Hislop's books. The Island is one of my favourite books of all time and I highly recommend to anyone wanting to try out the historical fiction genre. The historical drama novel, out now, is set during the period of the Junta army dictatorship in Greece in the 1960s and 1970s, and Victoria’s story was inspired by the Cycladic figurine and the influence they had on 20th century art. She wanted to explore the crime that beauty and antiquity can drive people to. All in all I thought the book was okay, I would have probably found it a better read on holiday. It’s an easy to follow simple and quite twee read. In all honestly I probably won’t read another of the authors books while liked the historical aspects I wasn’t into the family saga and romance. I like characters with nuance and who are explored deeply the characters were too 2D.

The Figurine by Victoria Hislop | Waterstones

As I started reading I was a bit like 'is this going to be for me' however, I was soon engrossed in the storyline. I found that I couldn't put it down. They way it was written was just beautiful and I loved that although on the surface it may appear simply about getting 'revenge' almost there was much more to the book.

The Figurine’ opens in 1968 and continues into the 1980s. It provides plenty information about Greek history and culture during this period while powerfully evoking its landscape and the lives of its peoples.

The figurine - Victoria Hislop The figurine - Victoria Hislop

Her return to Greece and her inheritance of the apartment leading to her subsequent discoveries was a great finale to the book. The characters were all well rounded, particularly Helena and her family and of course her Greek friends. The historical detail was incredibly interesting- I knew so little about this period in Greek history and now I feel I know a bit more about these turbulent times. After my first novel, The Island — about a leper colony off the coast of Crete — was published in Greece, it was adapted for Greek television. Over 26 weeks, the streets went silent every Monday night when an episode was aired.As Annabel Croft takes to the dance floor five months after her husband’s death, her friend VICTORIA HISLOP reveals why the ballroom could be the thing to distract her from devastating heartache Her grandfather is a stern, formidable man, with a cruel streak that she recognises even at such a young age. He was a general in the junta when Greece was under a brutal military dictatorship and anyone who didn’t agree could be made to disappear. Her grandmother, however is kind and generous, but she never defies or criticizes her husband. Wonderfully absorbing book and though there is peril of course it is a truly feel good read. Perfect for the holidays, it's descriptions of Greece were so inviting that I am determined to revisit. Bauer Media Group consists of : Bauer Consumer Media Ltd, Company number 01176085; Bauer Radio Limited, Company number: 1394141

The Figurine by Victoria Hislop | Hachette UK

This was the sting in the tail of a year none of us will ever forget. After all, Covid stole months from our lives and, for many of us, loved ones, too. I had lost my mother at the beginning of the pandemic. An air of mystery swirls around these statuettes from the Bronze Age and they are highly sought after by collectors - and looters - alike. When Helena inherits her grandparents' apartment in Athens, she is overwhelmed with memories of the summers she spent there as a child, when Greece was under a brutal military dictatorship. Her remote, cruel grandfather was one of the regime's generals and as she sifts through the dusty rooms, Helena discovers an array of valuable objects and antiquities. In The Figurine, she explores the destruction of Greece's historical past, and has created a dramatic and often tense story that details the robbery of precious, often very ancient artefacts. Take from the ground by looters and those who often should know better and sold for huge sums and then secreted away in the homes of the rich and wealthy. Depriving Greece and its people of their birthright.

Lord Elgin’s procurement of the marble statuettes became the “burning inspiration” behind The Figurine as Victoria wanted to use the “theft” as the main driving force behind the novel. However, Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway has always been my favourite self-help book. In its spirit, I told myself: ‘Let’s make the biggest reason for saying ‘No’, the best reason for saying ‘Yes!’‘

The Figurine – Victoria Hislop

Registered office: Media House, Peterborough Business Park, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6EA and H Bauer Publishing, Company number: LP003328; I'm going to keep this review short and (not) sweet as so many others have given full descriptions of this book. Her love for Greece shines through and transports readers to a brilliantly drawn world’ Independent The moment Fenia asked me to take part, I felt light-headed. I needed something to lift my spirits and to get me out of what felt like a ditch. Was this it? I had long been a Strictly fan, inspired by the level of skill amateurs can reach. Happy to dance in private, like most female viewers I had often fantasised about what it would feel like to be held aloft by Johannes Radebe (my all-time favourite) or Giovanni Pernice. Hislop takes us through Helena's formative years, as she learns to love Greece, learning the language and making new friends. Her own relationship with her Grandfather is strained, he's an oppressive, stern and angry man who often lashes out. However, it is clear to Helena that he is very important and that her family come from great riches.The Figurine starts in 1968 as eight year old Helena McCloud travels alone to Athens to spend the school summer holidays with her maternal grandparents. who she's not met before. Her Greek mother, Mary, and Scottish father, Hamish, have not come with her as Mary has been estranged from her parents for many years. I found this to be a fascinating read, full of historical and political facts. I remember this time well, I had friends who had married RAF personnel and were based in Akrotri, and the fear that Britain may be forced to enter into a war, turned the novelty about living abroad into fears about their safety.